Exeter, Ontario

Exeter is a Canadian community in the municipality of South Huron, in the southern portion of Huron County, Ontario, located approximately 50 kilometres north of London. The community proclaims itself the "Home of the White Squirrel", owing to the presence of the unusually-coloured mammals. Exeter's mascot, "Willis The White Wonder" can be seen at many community events throughout the year, including Canada Day celebrations, the Exeter Rodeo, and the Santa Claus Parade. Recently Exeter has opened a new Crabby Joe's Tab & Grill restaurant.

History

Exeter was first founded in the winter of 1832 by the Irish settlers James and Jane Willis and also Amanda. By 1853, Exeter had grown into a community of over 300 with the help of Isaac Carling bringing immigrants from the Exeter and Devon areas of England.The original Carling homestead, a designated historical landmark still stands on Huron St.W. It was on July 1, 1873, when the villages north and south of the Ausable River (Francistown and Exeter respectively) merged to form the Village of Exeter. Exeter eventually became a town of over 4,500 people. Paintings of some of Exeter's historical citizens, by the late artist Harry Burke, may be seen at the Exeter Legion Hall.

Transport

Sir Wilfrid Laurier speaking from the platform of a railway observation car in Exeter during the federal election campaign, November 1904

Exeter is located on the north-south Highway 4. At the north end of the community, Highway 4 intersects with County Road 83.

Freight train service is provided by the Goderich-Exeter Railway, connecting to Canadian National Railway service at London and Toronto.

The closest local airfield is at Centralia/Huron Airpark, south of Exeter. Closest major airport is London International Airport.

Exeter is served by scheduled bus service to Owen Sound and London .^[1]

Media

The local newspaper is the Exeter Times-Advocate, owned by Metroland Publishing. This paper publishes once-weekly, on Wednesdays.

Cable television is provided by Eastlink TV and includes local community station ETM Television.

Exeter is served by 90.5 myFM radio.

Sports

Exeter is home to the Exeter Hawks, a junior hockey team that plays in the Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League and the Exeter Mohawks of the Western Ontario Athletic Association Senior Hockey League. The Exeter Express baseball team plays in the Southwest Senior Baseball League.

Notable people

• Harriet Brooks (1876–1933), early pioneer in nuclear physics
• Charles Trick Currelly (1876–1957), founder and first Curator of the Royal Ontario Museum^[2]
• Allan Pickard (1895–1975), member of the Hockey Hall of Fame
• Donald Fleming (1905–1986) Canadian Federal Finance Minister, Governor of the World Bank, International Monetary Fund official
• Tim Long, executive producer and writer, The Simpsons
• Paul De Lisle (b. 1963), bassist for Smash Mouth

Landmarks

• MacNaughton Park, including Scenic Gardens
• South Huron Hospital
• 2 golf courses
• Exeter Curling Club
• Morrison Dam Conservation Area
• Recently-restored Town Hall
• Carling House

Schools

• South Huron District High School Home of the Panthers, a nationally recognized music program and over 850 students
• Exeter Public School
• Precious Blood Catholic Elementary School

Events

• The White Squirrel Festival
• Exeter Fall Fair
• Exeter Rodeo

See also

• Sexsmith/Exeter Airport

Further reading

• Wooden, Joseph L. (1973). "Exeter...: a history of Exeter, Ontario". R. Southcott (via ouroots.ca). http://www.ourroots.ca/e/toc.aspx?id=4462. Retrieved 2006-12-04. 

References

External links

• Municipality of South Huron
• South Huron District High School, in Exeter
• ETM Television (community cable TV station)
• South Huron Chamber of Commerce

Coordinates: 43°21′N 81°29′W / 43.35°N 81.483°W / 43.35; -81.483